Methods and systems for providing user selection of associations between information handling resources and information handling systems in an integrated chassis

Abstract

In accordance embodiments of the present disclosure a method may include receiving a user indication of a desired association between at least one of a plurality of modular information handling systems and at least one or one or more information handling resources. The method may also include communicating one or more control signals to one or more switching elements housed in a chassis configured to house the plurality of modular information handling systems and the one or more information handling resources, such that a selected modular information handling system is communicatively coupled to a selected information handling resource in accordance with the user indication of the desired association.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a chassis constructed to receive a plurality of modular information handling systems;   a plurality of information handling resources housed in the chassis, each of the plurality of information handling resources available for selective and independent association with one of the modular information handling systems; and   selection logic to:
 receive a selection signal indicative of a user indication of an association between a first modular information handling system selected from the plurality of modular information handling systems and a first information handling resource selected from the plurality of information handling resources; and 
 based on the user indication, output control signals to a switching element housed in the chassis, wherein the switching element couples the first modular information handling system to the first information handling resource. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a controller to:
 receive the user indication of an association between a first modular information handling system selected from the plurality of modular information handling systems and a first information handling resource selected from the plurality of information handling resources; and   generate the selection signal indicative of the user indication.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the selection logic is to:
 communicate, to the controller, status information regarding the association between the first modular information handling system and the first information handling resource; and   enable a user to access the status information.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein, when a failover occurs from the controller to a new controller, the controller is to maintain the status information for the new controller, wherein the new controller maintains the association. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the controller receives the user indication from at least one of a network interface and a local interface housed in the chassis. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the switching element comprises at least one of a switch and a multiplexer. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes an input/output port of an input/output hub that expands a single input/output port into a plurality of input/output ports, and further wherein the plurality of input/output ports comprise a plurality of external ports each for receiving a device external to the chassis. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein each of the plurality of external ports comprises a Universal Serial Bus port. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes an optical media drive. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes a video interface configured to interface with a display device external to the chassis. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at logic housed in a chassis constructed to receive a plurality of modular information handling systems and constructed to receive a plurality of information handling resources housed in the chassis wherein each of the plurality of information handling resources is available for selective and independent association with one of the modular information handling systems, a selection signal indicative of a user indication of an association between a first modular information handling system selected from the plurality of modular information handling systems and a first information handling resource selected from the plurality of information handling resources; and   based on the user indication, output control signals to a switching element housed in the chassis, wherein the switching element couples the first modular information handling system to the first information handling resource.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 receiving, at a controller housed in the chassis, the user indication of an association between a first modular information handling system selected from the plurality of modular information handling systems and a first information handling resource selected from the plurality of information handling resources; and   generating, by the controller, the selection signal indicative of the user indication.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein receiving the user indication comprises receiving the user indication from at least one of a network interface and a local interface housed in the chassis. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising communicating, from the logic to a controller housed in the chassis, status information regarding the association between the first modular information handling system and the first information handling resource such that a user is able to access the status information from the controller. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising, responsive to a failover occurring from the controller to a new controller, maintaining the status information for the new controller, wherein the new controller maintains the association. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the switching element comprises at least one of a switch and a multiplexer. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes an input/output port of an input/output hub that expands a single input/output port into a plurality of input/output ports, and further wherein the plurality of input/output ports comprise a plurality of external ports each for receiving a device external to the chassis. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein each of the plurality of external ports comprises a Universal Serial Bus port. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes an optical media drive. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of information handling resources includes a video interface configured to interface with a display device external to the chassis.